The invention relates to a device for removal of a roll of tubular fabric from a circular knitting machine comprising a machine frame, at least one driven take-up roller mounted on the machine frame and having the tubular fabric partially wound around it and a freewheeling winding rod spaced from the take-up roller and rotatably mounted at its ends in two bearing locations, the roll of tubular fabric being formed on the winding rod, the tubular fabric being guided from the take-up roller to the roll of tubular fabric, from this to the take-up roller again and from there into the roll of tubular fabric.
A draw-off and take-up device for circular knitting machines of the type described in the aforesaid is known from German patent specification 2 417 799. While this describes a take-up arrangement for the roll of tubular fabric, it does not specify how the voluminous roll of tubular fabric which can weigh up to 150 kg or more is to be removed from the machine in a manner which is as convenient as possible. In fact, two people (knitters) are required to remove such large and heavy rolls of tubular fabric from the machine.